|
|
|
JANUARY
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
FRIDAY 1st
JANUARY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
2nd - Battle
of Sarikamish ends (see December 29th,
1914, and April 4th, 1918).
2nd - Urmia
(North Persia) evacuated by Russian forces
(This city was occupied before the
outbreak of the War.) (see
April 16th).
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
3rd - French
Government issue further revised list of
contraband (see November 6th, 1914).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
1st - H.M.S.
"Formidable" (below - Maritime Quest)
sunk by German submarine in English
Channel.
|
|
MONDAY 4th
JANUARY
|
|
BRITAIN
4th - London
Stock Exchange reopens (see July 31st,
1914).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
8th - Battle
of Soissons begins (see 14th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
5th - Tabriz
(North Persia) evacuated by Russian forces
(This city was occupied before the
outbreak of the War.) (see
8th and 30th).
8th - Tabriz
(North Persia) occupied by Turkish forces
(see 5th and 30th).
8th - Battle
of Kara Urgan (Caucasus) begins (see
13th).
ARABIA
10th -
British defence of Muscat (Eastern Arabia)
(10th/11th).
EAST AFRICA
5th - German
attack on Edea (Cameroons) repulsed by
French garrison. (link
to British despatches)
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
6th - German
S.S. "Dacia" (interned in the United
States) sold to Mr. Breitung, an American
citizen (see February 11th).
|
|
MONDAY
11th JANUARY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
11th -
Rumanian Government negotiate loan of
£5,000,000 in Great Britain.
15th -
Existence of secret agreement for mutual
support between Italy and Rumania
announced by respective Governments.
AUSTRO-HUNGARY
13th - Baron
Burian succeeds Count Berehtold (appointed
February 9th, 1912) as Austro-Hungarian
Minister for Foreign Affairs (see December
22nd, 1910).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
14th - Battle
of Soissons ends (see 8th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
13th -
Battle of Kara Urgan ends (see 8th).
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
14th -
Swakopmund (German South-West Africa)
occupied by South African forces.
SOUTH AFRICA
11th - Last
rebels in the Transvaal (South Africa)
captured (see December 28th, 1914).
|
DARDANELLES
(plan - below)
13th -
British War Council resolve that the
Admiralty should prepare for a naval
expedition in February against the
Dardanelles (see 28th, and December 30th,
1914). (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
The Approaches
to the Dardanelles (Corbett, Vol
2, pp123)
EAST AFRICA
12th - Mafia
Island (German East Africa) seized by a
British force.
|
|
MONDAY
18th JANUARY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
24th -
British Government offer Greek Government
concessions in Asia Minor in return for
help to Serbia (see 25th and 29th, April
12th, 1915, and December 5th, 1914).
GERMANY
21st - Lieut.-General
von Falkenhayn (appointed in 1906)
succeeded as German Minister for War by
Lieut.-General Wild von Hohenborn (see
October 30th, 1916). General von
Falkenhayn remains Chief of the General
Staff (see August 29th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
24th - Lieut.-General
Sir A. J. Murray resigns as Chief of the
General Staff, British Expeditionary
Force, France (see 25th, and August 4th,
1914). Lieut.-General
Sir W. Robertson resigns as
Quartermaster-General, British
Expeditionary Force, France (see 25th and
27th, and August 4th, 1914).
AVIATION
19th - First
airship raid on England (see December
21st, 1914, and August 5th, 1918).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
AVIATION
24th -
German airship "P.L.-19" brought down near
Libau.
|
SOUTH AFRICA
23rd -
Defence of Upington (23rd/24th).
EAST AFRICA
18th -
German attack on Jasin begins (see 19th).
19th - Jasin
captured by German forces (see 18th, and
December 21st, 1914).
The Battle of the Dogger Bank,
(Corbett, Vol 2, Plan No 3 (5.9Mb))
S.M.S.
"Blücher" (Maritime
Quest)
|
NORTH SEA
24th - Battle
of the Dogger Bank. German cruiser
"Blücher" (left)
sunk. (link to British
despatch, awards and casualties)
Strategical
Plan of the Dogger Bank Action (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp102)
|
|
MONDAY
25th JANUARY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
25th -
Rumania refuses Entente suggestion that
she should join Greece in support of
Serbia (see 24th and 29th, October 15th,
1915, and December 6th, 1914).
26th -
Entente Governments agree to hold " Pact
of London " applicable to war with Turkey
(see September 5th, 1914).
29th - Greek
Government decline to intervene on behalf
of Serbia (see 24th and 25th, and February
15th).
PORTUGAL
25th -
General Pimenta da Castro succeeds Senhor
Coutinho as Portuguese Premier (see
December 12th, 1914, and May 14th, 1915).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
25th - Lieut.-General
Sir W. Bobertson appointed Chief of the
General Staff, British Expeditionary
Force, France (see 24th, and December
22nd).
27th - Lieut.-General
Sir R. C. Maxwell appointed
Quartermaster-General, British
Expeditionary Force, France (see 24th, and
December 22nd, 1917).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
|
CAUCASIAN
FRONT
30th -
Tabriz (North Persia) reoccupied by
Russian forces (see 8th, and June 14h,
1918).
PALESTINE
FRONT
26th -
Turkish advance on Suez Canal and Egypt
through Sinai begins (see February 2nd).
|
CRUISER
WARFARE
28th -
United States S.V. "William P. Frye" sunk
by German armed merchant cruiser "Prinz
Eitel Friedrich" (see August 6th, 1914,
and April 8th, 1915).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
30th -
British Admiralty warn British merchant
vessels to fly neutral or no ensigns in
vicinity of British Isles (see February
6th, 7th and 11th).
BRITISH
COASTAL RAID
29th -
Walney Island battery (Barrow-in-Furness)
shelled by German submarine (first
operation of German submarines in the
Irish Sea).
DARDANELLES
28th -
British Government definitely decide to
make naval attack on the Dardanelles (see
13th). (link to British despatches, RN
awards and casualties)
RED SEA
31st - Arab
forces (Idrisi) occupy Farasan Islands in
the Red Sea (see April 28th).
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 24 ships of
49,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
FEBRUARY
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
MONDAY 1ST
FEBRUARY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
2nd -
Entente communication to Greek, Serbian,
and Montenegrin Governments deprecating
their intervention in Albania (see June
26th).
3rd -
Agreement concluded between Great Britain
and Belgium concerning delimitation of
Uganda-Congo boundary.
3rd -
Bulgarian Government negotiate loan of
£3,000,000 in Germany (see August 6th).
5th -
British, French and Russian Governments
agree to pool their financial resources
(see June 3rd).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
4th - The Winter
Battle in Masuria (East Prussia) begins
(see 22nd).
|
ARABIA
2nd - Aden
Protectorate invaded by Turkish forces.
Suez Canal (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp118)
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
1st -
British Admiralty issue orders forbidding
neutral fishing vessels to use British
ports.
6th -
British S.S. "Lusitania" arrives at
Liverpool flying United States flag (see
7th, January 30th and May 7th).
7th -
British Foreign Office issue statement
justifying use of neutral flag at sea (see
6th, 11th, and January 30th).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
4th - German
Government announce that submarine
blockade of Great Britain will begin on
the 18th February.
PALESTINE
FRONT (plan - left)
2nd -
Turkish advance-guards
reach the Suez Canal (see 3rd, and January
20th).
3rd Actions
on the Suez Canal begin (see 4th).
4th -
Actions on the Suez Canal end (see 3rd).
Turkish forces retreat into Sinai.
(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
|
MONDAY 8th
FEBRUARY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl.
Winter
Battle in Masuria.
|
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
9th - 1st
Canadian Division crosses from England to
France (9th/11th) (see October 15th,
1914).
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
11th -
United States Government send Note to
British Government deprecating use of
neutral flag (see 7th).
11th - S.S.
"Dacia" sails from United States for
Bremen (Germany) with cargo of cotton (see
27th, and January 6th).
|
|
MONDAY
15th FEBRUARY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
15th -
Entente Governments suggest to Greek
Government that Greece should intervene in
support of Serbia, and promise military
support at Salonika (see January 29th and
March 5th).
PERSIA
20th -
Muavin ed Douleh succeeds Ala es Sultaneh
as Persian Foreign Minister (see August
19th, 1914, and April 26th, 1915).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
AVIATION
17th -
German airship "L.-3" stranded and
destroyed off Fano, and "L.-4" destroyed
near Blaavands Huk (Denmark).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl.
Winter
Battle in Masuria.
17th -
Czernowitz (Bukovina) retaken by Austrian
forces (see October 28th, 1914, and June
17th, 1916).
17th - Memel
reoccupied by German forces (see November
11th, 1914, and March 18th, 1915).
19th -
Stanislau (Galicia) captured by Austrian
forces (see October 30th, 1914, and March
4th, 1915).
|
DARDANELLES/GALLIPOLI
16th -
British Government decide to send a
division (the 29th) to the Dardanelles
(see 20th, and April 25th).
20th -
Orders issued for employment at the
Dardanelles of the Australian and New
Zealand troops in Egypt (see 16th, and
December 1st, 1914).
WEST AFRICA
16th - Oyem
(Cameroons) occupied by French forces.
MALAY STATES
15th -
Mutiny of the 5th Light Infantry (Indian
Army) at Singapore.
The
Dardanelles, Bombardment of February 19th,
1915 (Corbett, Vol 2, pp143)
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
16th -
British Government extend prohibition of
"trading with the enemy" to territories in
British, enemy, or friendly occupation.
NAVAL PRIZES
15th -
Agreement concluded between Great Britain
and France supplementing "prize"
convention of November 9th, 1914
U-BOAT
WARFARE
18th - German
submarine blockade of Great Britain
begins (see 4th).
19th -
Norwegian S.S. "Belridge" torpedoed, but
reaches port. First ship torpedoed by
German submarine without warning (German
Government subsequently asserted that this
ship was attacked in error.) (see
October 20th, 1914, and March 13th, 1915).
DARDANELLES
(plan - left)
19th -
Allied naval attack on the Dardanelles
forts commences (see March 18th). (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
|
|
MONDAY
22nd FEBRUARY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
26th -
Liquid fire first used by the Germans on
the Western front.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
22nd - The Winter
Battle in Masuria ends (see 4th).
22nd - First
Battle of Przasnysz begins (see 27th).
27th - First
Battle of Przasnysz ends (see 22nd).
Dardanelles,
Bombardment of February 25th (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp157)
|
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
22nd - South
African Northern Force begins advance from
Swakopmund on Windhuk, German South-West
Africa(see January 14th).
Operations
in the Aegean (Corbett, Vol
3, Map Case No.5)
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
24th - The
first British Territorial division, the
North Midland, leaves England for France.
Not to be confused with first division of
the New Armies, for which see May 9th.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
27th - S.S.
"Dacia" intercepted and seized by French
naval forces (see 11th, and March 22nd).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
22nd - Net
barrage across North Channel, between
Ireland and Scotland, established.
AEGEAN
(plan - left)
23rd -
Lemnos occupied by British marines (see
March 7th).
DARDANELLES
(plan - far left)
25th - Allied
naval attack on the Dardanelles forts
continues (see February 19th). (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
MERCHANT
SHIPPING (cont)
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 25 ships of
60,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
MARCH
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
MONDAY 1st
MARCH
|
|
DIPLOMACY
4th -
Russian Government send circular telegram
to Entente Governments laying claim to
Constantinople (see 12th).
7th - Greek
Government request explanation of British
occupation of Lemnos (see 9th, and
February 23rd).
FRANCE
4th - French
Government decide to send Expeditionary
Force to the Dardanelles (see February
16th and 20th, and April 25th).
GREECE
5th - Greek
Premier (M. Venizelos) proffers Greek
fleet and troops to Entente for operations
at the Dardanelles (see 6th, and February
15th and September 21st).
6th - King
of Greece refuses assent to policy of M.
Venizelos (see 5th). M. Venizelos resigns
office as Premier (see 9th, and August
22nd) (date of appointment October 19th,
1910).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
4th -
Stanislau (Galicia) recaptured by Russian
forces (see February 19th and June 8th).
|
Smyrna (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp210)
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
1st - Joint
declaration signed by Great Britain and
France to prevent trade by or with Germany
(see April 17th, 1916).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
4th - First
case of "indicator" nets aiding in the
destruction of a German submarine, "U.-8,"
in Straits of Dover. (First experimented
with in January 1915)
ADRIATIC
1st -
Antivari (Montenegro) bombarded by
Austrian squadron (see January 22nd,
1916).
AEGEAN
5th - Bombardment of Smyrna by
British squadron under Admiral Peirse
begins (see 9th). (plan - left)
EAST AFRICA
1st -
British blockade of German East Africa
commences.
|
|
MONDAY 8th
MARCH
|
|
DIPLOMACY
9th -
British Government reply to Greek
Government as to occupation of Lemnos,
pleading military necessity (see 7th and
20th).
12th -
British Government notify Russian
Government of their acceptance of Russian
claims to Constantinople (see 4th, April
12th, 1915, and December 2nd, 1916).
13th -
Agreement signed by French and Belgian
Governments suspending Franco-Belgian
Convention of July 30th, 1891, regarding
military service laws.
GREECE
9th - M.
Gounaris appointed Premier of Greece (see
6th, and August 22nd).
PERSIA
14th -
Mushir ed Dowleh succeeds Mustaufi ul
Mainalek as Persian Prime Minister (see
August 19th, 1914, and April 26th, 1915).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
First
Battle of Champagne continues.
10th -
Battle of Neuve Chapelle begins.
13th -
Battle of Neuve Chapelle ends.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
Eastern
Mediterranean (Corbett, Vol 2, pp382)
|
DARDANELLES/GALLIPOLI
12th -
General Sir Ian Hamilton appointed
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
(Dardanelles) Expeditionary Force (see
17th).
(see plan - left)
S.M.S.
"Dresden" (Maritime Quest)
The
Search for, and Destruction of S.M.S.
Dresden (Corbett,
Vol 2, Plan No 5
(8.9Mb))
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
11th -
British " Retaliatory Order in Council"
relating to detention of enemy goods and
Proclamation extending list of "absolute"
contraband issued (see 12th, and December
23rd, 1914).
12th -
French Government issue decrees similar to
British Order in Council and Proclamation
of the 11th March.
MERCHANT SHIPPING
12th - Dutch
Government issue warning that foreign
merchant ships using Dutch flag will be
detained (see January 30th and February
11th).
CRUISER
WARFARE
14th - Light
cruiser "Dresden" (left, also plan) the
last German cruiser left at sea, sunk by
British warships in Chilean waters off
Juan Fernandez (see December 8th, 1914,
and April 26th, 1915).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
13th -
Swedish S.S. "Hanna" torpedoed without
warning. First neutral ship actually sunk
by German submarine (see 25th and 28th,
and February 19th).
AEGEAN
9th -
British bombardment of Smyrna ends (see
5th and 15th).
|
|
MONDAY
15th MARCH
|
|
DIPLOMACY
17th -
French Government lodge claim with British
Government to Syria and Cilicia (Turkey)
(see April 26th, 1916).
20th -
British Government guarantee Greece
eventual cession of Lemnos by Turkey (see
9th and July 25th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
17th - First
Battle of Champagne ends (see
December 20th, 1914).
AVIATION
21st - First
German airship raid on Paris takes place
(see August 30th, 1914, and January 29th,
1916).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Russian Siege of Przemysl continues.
18th - Memel
(East Prussia) again captured by Russian
forces (see 21st, and February 17th).
21st - Memel
(East Prussia) reoccupied by German forces
(see 18th).
The
Dardanelles, the Attack on the Narrows (Corbett,
Vol 2, pp230)
|
DARDANELLES/GALLIPOLI
17th -
General Sir Ian Hamilton takes over
command of Dardanelles Expeditionary Force
(see 12th, and October 15th).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
18th -
General Sir John Nixon appointed
Commander-in-Chief British Forces in
Mesopotamia (see April 9th).
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
20th -
Action of Jakalswater (German South-West
Africa).
Gallipoli 1915
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
18th -
British Government conclude agreement with
American cotton interests that cotton
should be contraband.
19th - Dutch
Government lodge protest against blockade
policy of the Entente (see 11th and 12th).
DARDANELLES
(Plans - left)
18th - Allied
Naval attack on the Dardanelles forts
repulsed (see February 19th).
French battleship "Bouvet" (below -
Photo ships) and British
battleships "Irresistible" and "Ocean"
sunk. (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
AEGEAN
15th -
British Squadron blockading Smyrna
withdrawn (see 5th and 9th).
AVIATION
15th - First
merchant ship (S.S. "Blonde") attacked by
aircraft.
|
|
MONDAY
22nd MARCH
|
|
DIPLOMACY
23rd -
Chinese and Japanese Governments conclude
secret agreement as to future policy in
Manchuria.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
22nd -
Przemysl capitulates to Russian forces (see
November 10th, 1914, and June 3rd, 1915).
|
DARDANELLES/GALLIPOLI
25th -
General Liman von Sanders appointed to
command Turco-German Forces, Dardanelles.
(link to British despatches, RN
awards and casualties)
PALESTINE
FRONT
25th -
Indian Expeditionary Force "F " (in Egypt)
absorbed into Indian Expeditionary Force
"E" (see October 2nd, 1914, and November
2nd and 16th, 1914).
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
22nd -
French Prize Court declare seizure of S.S.
"Dacia" valid (see February 27th).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
25th - Dutch
S.S. "Medea" captured by German submarine
and sunk. First neutral ship sunk after
visit and search (see
13th).
28th - The
first passenger ship, British S.S.
"Falaba", sunk by a German submarine (see
13th, and October 20th, 1914).
NAVAL
AVIATION
23rd - First
kite-balloon ship, H.M.S. "Manica,"
commissioned.
BLACK SEA
27th -
Bosporus forts bombarded by Russian Black
Sea Fleet (see April 25th).
|
|
MONDAY
29th MARCH
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
|
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
30th - Aus
(German South-West Africa) occupied by
South African forces.
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
29th -
British Government conclude agreement with
American rubber interests that rubber
should not be exported except to Great
Britain.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 34 ships of
87,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
APRIL
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
THURSDAY
1st APRIL
|
|
DIPLOMACY
3rd -
Russian Imperial ukase issued granting
municipal self-government to Russian
Poland (see August 14th, 1914, and
November 5th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
|
Turkish
"Medjidieh" (Photo Ships)
|
U-BOAT
WARFARE
3rd - Dover
Straits barrage completed.
BLACK SEA
3rd -
Indecisive action in Black Sea between the
"Goeben" and part of the Russian Fleet.
Turkish cruiser "Medjidieh" (left) sunk
by mine off Odessa.
|
|
MONDAY 5th
APRIL
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
8th -
Deportations and massacres of Armenians by
order of the Turkish Government commence
(Approximate date.) (see
May 24th).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
9th -
General Sir John Nixon relieves General
Sir Arthur Barrett as Commander-in-Chief
Indian Expeditionary Force "D",
Mesopotamia (see November 13th, 1914,
March 18th, 1910, and January 19th, 1916).
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
7th - First
Indian units of Indian Expeditionary Force
"G" (formed from Force "E") sail from
Egypt for the Dardanelles (see December
31st).
CRUISER
WARFARE
8th - German
armed merchant cruiser "Prinz Eitel
Friedrich" interned at Newport News, Va.
(see January 28th).
|
|
MONDAY
12th APRIL
|
|
DIPLOMACY
12th -
Entente Governments make offer to Greece
of Smyrna and hinterland in return for
immediate action against Turkey (see 14th,
and January 24th).
12th -
French Government notify Russian
Government of their acceptance of Russian
claims to Constantinople (see March 12th).
14th -
British Secretary for the Colonies (Mr.
Harcourt) states that Dominions will be
consulted as to peace terms (see July
14th).
14th - Greek
Government reject Entente offer of Smyrna
(see 12th).
14th -
Japanese Government inform British
Government of German overtures for
separate peace.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
14th -
Germans accuse French of using poison gas
near Verdun (see 22nd).
17th -
Capture of Hill 60 (Ypres) (17th/22nd).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
16th - Urmia
(North Persia) occupied by Turkish regular
forces (see January 2nd and May 24th).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
12th -
Battle of Shaiba begins.
14th -
Battle of Shaiba ends.
(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
WEST AFRICA
12th - First
Allied advance on Yaunde (Cameroons)
begins (see June 7th and 28th).
18th -
Operations of Allied Force for capture of
Garua (Cameroons) begin (see May 31st). (link
to British despatches)
EAST AFRICA
16th -
General Tighe succeeds General Wapshare in
command of British Forces in East Africa
(see December 4th, 1914, and February
19th, 1916).
INDIA
18th - First
Affair of Hafiz Kor (North-West Frontier
of India).
|
|
|
MONDAY
19th APRIL
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
22nd - Battles
of Ypres, 1915, begin (see November
22nd, 1914, and May 25th, 1915). First
German gas attack (see 14th).
23rd -
Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge (Ypres)
(22nd/23rd).
24th -
Battle of St. Julien (Ypres) begins (see
May 4th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
20th -
Armenian revolt at Van: Armenian defence
of Van begins (see May 19th).
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
25th -
Action of Gibeon (25th/26th) (German
South-West Africa).
Gallipoli, the
Southern Beaches (Corbett, Vol 2,
pp328)
|
GALLIPOLI
(plan - left and below)
25th - Allied
Forces effect landing at the Dardanelles
(25th/26th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
Gallipoli 1915
BLACK SEA
25th -
Bosporus forts shelled by Russian Black
Sea Fleet (see March 27th).
WEST AFRICA
23rd -
British blockade of the Cameroons
commences (see February 29th, 1916). (link
to British despatches)
|
|
MONDAY
26th APRIL
|
|
DIPLOMACY
26th -
Secret agreement signed in London between
Italian Government and the Entente for
Italian co-operation in the war and
declarations by which Italy adheres to the
Pact of London (see September 5th, 1914,
and May 4th, November 30th, and December
1st, 1915).
28th -
British Government conclude a treaty with
the Idrisi for co-operation against the
Turks (see January 31st).
PERSIA
26th -
Mushir ed Douleh, Persian Prime Minister,
resigns (see March 14th and April 27th).
Muavin ed Douleh, Persian Foreign
Minister, resigns (see February 20th and
April 27th).
27th - Ain
ed Douleh appointed Persian Prime Minister
(see 26th, and August 17th). Mohtashem ed
Douleh appointed Persian Foreign Minister
(see 26th, and March 5th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Battles
of Ypres, 1915, incl Battle of St. Julien
continue.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
30th -
Shavli (Baltic Provinces) occupied by
German forces (see May 11th).
|
GALLIPOLI
28th - First
Battle of Krithia (Dardanelles) (see May
6th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
|
CRUISER
WARFARE
26th - The
last German raider overseas, armed
merchant cruiser "Kronprinz Wilhelm",
interned at Newport News (United States of
America) (see March 14th).
U-BOAT WAR
26th -
French cruiser "Leon Gambetta" (below
- Photo Ships) sunk by Austrian
submarine in Straits of Otranto.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 44 ships of
58,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
MAY
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
SATURDAY
1st MAY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Battles
of Ypres, 1915, incl Battle of St. Julien
continue.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
1st - Austro-German
Spring Offensive in Galicia: Battle of
Gorlice-Tarnow begins (see 5th).
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
1st - Battle
of Dilman (North Persia).
S.S.
"Gulflight" (Photo Ships)
|
U-BOAT
WARFARE
1st - S.S.
"Gulflight" (left) torpedoed
without warning: damaged, but reaches
port. First United States ship attacked by
German submarine (see February 19th and
March 13th).
|
|
MONDAY 3rd
MAY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
4th - Italy
denounces the Triple Alliance (see April
26th).
7th -
British Foreign Minister (Sir E. Grey)
gives conditional guarantee to Serbian
Minister of eventual cession of Bosnia and
Herzegovina with " wide access to the
Adriatic " (see August 15th and 30th).
7th - Japan
presents ultimatum to China demanding
territorial concessions (see 9th).
9th -
Chinese Government yield to Japanese
demands (see 7th and 25th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Battles
of Ypres, 1915 continue:
4th - Battle
of St. Julien (Ypres) ends (see Apri1
24th).
8th - Battle
of Frezenberg Ridge (Ypres) begins (see
13th).
9th - Allied
Spring Offensive begins: Battle of
Aubers Ridge; Second Battle of Artois
begins (see June 18th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
5th - Battle
of Gorlice-Tarnow ends (see 1st).
7th - Libau
(Baltic Provinces) taken by German forces
(see April 30th).
|
GALLIPOLI
6th - Second
Battle of Krithia begins (see 8th, and
April 28th).
8th - Second
Battle of Krithia ends (see 6th, and June
4th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
S.S.
"Lusitania" (Photo Ships)
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
9th - The
leading division of the British New Armies
leaves England for France (see August
21st, 1914, and February 24th, 1915).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
7th - S.S.
"Lusitania" (left) sunk
by German submarine "U.-20"
off Queenstown (see February 6th).
9th -
President Wilson, in a speech, defines
United States policy in regard to the
"Lusitania" outrage (see 7th).
|
|
MONDAY
10th MAY
|
|
BRITAIN
14th - Last
meeting of British War Council (see August
5th, 1914, and June 7th, 1915).
PORTUGAL
14th -
General da Castro, Portuguese Premier,
resigns (see 15th, and January 25th).
15th -
Senhor J. Pinheiro Chagas appointed
Portuguese Premier (see 14th, and June
19th).
ITALY
13th -
Signor Salandra, Italian Premier, tenders
his resignation (see 16th, and October
30th, 1914). Baron Sonnino, Italian
Foreign Minister, tenders his resignation
(see 16th, and November 3rd, 1914).
16th -
Signor Salandra reappointed Italian
Premier on reconstruction of Cabinet, with
Baron Sonnino as Foreign Minister (see
13th, and June 11th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Battles
of Ypres, 1915.
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois.
13th -
Battle of Frezenberg Ridge (Ypres) ends
(see 8th).
15th -
Battle of Festubert begins (see 25th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
11th -
Shavli (Baltic Provinces) evacuated by
German forces (see April 30th).
14th -
Jaroslaw taken by Austro-German forces
(see September 21st, 1914).
16th - Battle
of the San (Galicia) begins (see
23rd).
|
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
13th -
Windhuk (German South-West Africa)
occupied by South African Northern Force.
Gallipoli 1915
|
ALLIED NAVAL
POLICY
10th - Naval
Convention signed between Great Britain,
France, and Italy
ROYAL NAVY
15th - Lord
Fisher, First Sea Lord, Great Britain
tenders his resignation (see 28th, and
October 30th, 1914).
GALLIPOLI
(Locations - left)
13th -
H.M.S. "Goliath" (below - Maritime
Quest) sunk by Turkish destroyer in
the Dardanelles. (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
|
|
MONDAY
17th MAY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
23rd -
Italian Government order Mobilisation and
declare war against Austria. General
Cadorna appointed Commander-in-Chief
(Officially designated " Chief of Staff,"
the King being the nominal
Commander-in-Chief) of Italian Armies in
the Field (see November 7th, 1917).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Battles
of Ypres, 1915.
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois.
Battle
of Festubert.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
23rd - Battle
of the San (Galicia) ends (see
16th).
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
19th - Van
(Armenia) taken by Russian forces.
Armenian garrison relieved (see April 20th
and August 3rd, 1915, and April 5th,
1918).
|
CASPIAN SEA
21st -
Russian Expeditionary Force to West Persia
lands at Enzeli (see February 17th, 1918).
|
|
MONDAY
24th MAY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
24th -
Germany severs diplomatic relations with
Italy (see August 28th, 1916). (For the
purposes of the Treaty of Versailles it
was subsequently assumed that this rupture
took place on the 27th, which date was
accepted as that of the commencement of
Italy's belligerence against Germany.)
24th -
Entente Governments declare that they will
hold Turkish Ministers personally
responsible for the Armenian massacres
(see April 8th).
25th -
Treaty signed between China and Japan
concerning Shantung Province (see 7th and
9th)
25th -
Treaty signed between China and Japan
concerning South Manchuria and Inner
Mongolia (see 7th and 9th).
BRITAIN
25th -
Coalition Ministry formed in Great Britain
by Mr. Asquith (see December 11th, 1916).
PORTUGAL
28th - Dr.
Joaquim T. Braga elected President of
Portugal (see 29th, and October 5th).
29th - Dr.
Manoel Arriuga, Portuguese President,
resigns (appointed August 24th, 1911) (see
28th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois continues.
24th -
Battle of Bellewaerde Ridge (Ypres)
(24th/25th).
25th - Battles
of Ypres, 1915, end (see April 22nd,
1915, and July 31st, 1917).
25th -
Battle of Festubert ends (see 15th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
24th -
Battle of Przemysl begins (see June
3rd and 11th).
24th - Battle
of the Stryj (Galicia) begins (see
June 11th).
BALKANS
29th –
Valona (Albania) formally occupied by
Italian forces (see December 26th, 1914).
ITALIAN
FRONT
24th -
Italian forces cross Austrian frontier
(midnight 24th, 25th).
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
24th - Urmia
(North Persia) retaken by Russian forces
(see April 16th).
S.S. "Princess
Irene" (Photo Ships)
Gallipoli 1915
The
Torpedoing of H.M.S. "Triumph"(Corbett, Vol
3, Map Case No.4)
|
ROYAL NAVY
27th -
British minelayer "Princess Irene" (left,
in civilian service) destroyed by
internal explosion in Sheerness harbour.
27th - Mr.
Winston Churchill, First Lord of the
Admiralty, Great Britain, resigns
(appointed October 24th, 1911) (see 28th).
28th - Mr.
Arthur Balfour appointed First Lord of the
Admiralty, Great Britain (see 27th, and
December 11th, 1910). Sir Henry Jackson
appointed First Sea Lord, Great Britain
(see 15th, and December 3rd, 1916).
ADRIATIC
25th -
Italian fleet commences operations in the
Adriatic (see 26th).
26th -
British battle squadron concentrates at
Malta prior to joining Italian fleet in
Adriatic (see 27th).
26th -
Italian Government announce blockade of
Austro-Hungarian coast.
27th -
British squadron joins Italian fleet in
the Adriatic (see 26th).
GALLIPOLI
(Locations - left)
25th -
H.M.S. "Triumph" sunk by submarine off the
Dardanelles. (plan - left)
27th -
H.M.S. "Majestic" sunk by submarine at the
Dardanelles. (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
EAST AFRICA
30th -
Affair of Sphinxhaven, Lake Nyassa.
British command of the lake secured.
|
|
MONDAY
31st MAY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois continues.
AVIATION
31st - First
German airship raid on London area (see
January 19th 1915, October 19th, 1917, and
August 5th, 1918).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of Przemysl
Battle
of the Stryj (Galicia)
Operations
Against Kurnah (Corbett, Vol 3, Map
Case No.2)
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT (Plans - left, below
& right)
31st -
Second action of Qurna.(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
Operations near Kurnah (Corbett, Vol 1,
pp392)
WEST AFRICA
31st - Siege
of Garua (Cameroons) begins (see April
18th and June 10th). (link
to British despatches)
|
Sketch
Map of the Tigris, North of Kurnah (or
Qurna)
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 71 ships of
121,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
JUNE
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
TUESDAY
1st JUNE
|
|
DIPLOMACY
3rd - San
Marino declares war on Austria-Hungary.
3rd - First
meeting in Paris of Allied Conference on
Economic War (see February 5th, 1915, and
June 14th, 1916).
5th - First
Conference of British and French Ministers
to co-ordinate war policy and strategy
held at Calais.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Continuing:
Battle
of Przemysl
Battle
of the Stryj (Galicia)
3rd -
Przemysl retaken by Austro-German forces
(see March 22nd and May 24th).
|
GALLIPOLI
4th - Third
Battle of Krithia.
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
3rd - Amara
captured by British forces.
(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
3rd - Act
passed in British Parliament empowering
Customs to compel all exports to Holland
to be consigned to the Netherlands Oversea
Trust (see November 23rd, 1914, and
December 7th, 1915).
ASIA MINOR
2nd -
Blockade of coast of Asia Minor announced
by British Government.
|
|
MONDAY 7th
JUNE
|
|
DIPLOMACY
7th -
Russian and Chinese Governments conclude
agreement respecting Mongolia (see May
25).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Spring Offensive, incl Second Battle of
Artois continues.
AVIATION
7th - German
airship "L.Z.-37" destroyed in mid-air by
Lieut. Warneford, R.N.A.S., near Ghent
(first occasion of airship success fully
attacked by aeroplane).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
8th -
Stanislau recaptured by Austrian forces
(see March 4th, 1915, and August 10th,
1916).
11th - Battle
of Przemysl ends (see 3rd, and May
24th).
11th - Battle
of the Stryj (Galicia) ends (see May
24th).
ITALIAN
FRONT
9th -
Monfalcone (Isonzo) taken by Italian
forces.
|
WEST AFRICA
7th - Allied
Commander-in-Chief in the Cameroons
decides to abandon the advance on Yaunde
(see 28th, and April 12th).
10th - Garua
(Cameroons) capitulates to the
Anglo-French force under General Cunliffe
(see May 31st). (link
to British despatches)
|
DARDANELLES
7th - First
meeting of Dardanelles Committee (Under
this title the War Council (see August
5th, 1914, and May 14th, 1915) exercised
its functions during the critical period
of the Dardanelles campaign) of the
British Cabinet (see May 14th and October
30th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
|
|
MONDAY
14th JUNE
|
|
PORTUGAL
19th - Dr.
Jose de Castro succeeds Senhor J. P.
Chagas as Portuguese Premier (see May 15th
and November 29th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
18th - Second
Battle of Artois ends (see May 9th
and September 25th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
17th - Third
Battle of Lemberg begins (see
22nd).
|
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
19th - South
African forces begin advance on
Otavifontein (German South-West Africa)
(see July 1st).
|
RED SEA
14th -
Turkish Attack on Perim Island
(14th/15th).
|
|
MONDAY
21st JUNE
|
|
RUSSIA
26th -
General Sukhomlinov, Russian Minister for
War, removed from office (appointed in
1909); succeeded by General Polivanov (see
March 29th, 1916).
UNITED
STATES
24th - Mr.
Lansing succeeds Mr. Bryan as United
States Secretary of State.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
22nd - Third
Battle of Lemberg ends: city retaken
by the Austrian forces (see 17th, and
September 3rd, 1914, and November 23rd,
1918).
BALKANS
26th - San
Giovanni de Medua (Albania) occupied by
Montenegrin forces (see July 29th).
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
27th -
British advance up the Euphrates begins
(see July 25th).(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
|
|
MONDAY
28TH JUNE
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
ITALIAN
FRONT
29th - First
Battle of the Isonzo begins (see July
7th).
|
GALLIPOLI
28th -
Action of Gully Ravine begins (see July
2nd).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
WEST AFRICA
28th -
Operations of the first advance on Yaunde
(Cameroons) end (see 7th).
28th -
Ngaundere (Cameroons) captured by the
Allied Northern Force.
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 128 ships of
131,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
JULY
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
THURSDAY
1st JULY
|
|
BRITAIN
2nd -
Munitions of War Act, 1915, becomes law in
Great Britain.
2nd -
Ministry of Munitions formed in Great
Britain.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
1st - Second
Battle of Krasnik begins (see 19th).
ITALIAN
FRONT
First
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
GALLIPOLI
2nd - Action
of Gully Ravine ends (see June 28th).
ARABIA
4th - Lahej
(South Arabia) taken by Turkish forces
(4th/5th).
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
1st -
Otavifontein (German South-West Africa)
captured by South African forces (see June
19th).
|
BALTIC
2nd - Naval
action in the Baltic between Russian and
German squadrons off Gottland. German
minelayer "Albatross" driven ashore.
|
|
MONDAY 5th
JULY
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Battle of Krasnik continues.
BALKANS
5th –
Durazzo (Albania) occupied by Serbian
forces (see 17th, and October 4th, 1914),
ITALIAN
FRONT
7th - First
Battle of the Isonzo ends (see June 29th).
|
SOUTH WEST
AFRICA
9th - German
South-West Africa capitulates to General
Botha (see September 19th, 1914).
S.M.S.
"Konigsberg" in the Rufiji Delta (Corbett,
Vol 3, pp63)
|
CRUISER
WARFARE
11th -
German light cruiser "Königsberg" (below)
destroyed in Rufiji River, by
British monitors (plan - left, see
September 20th and October 31st, 1914).
(link
to British despatch, awards and
casualties)
S.M.S. "Königsberg" (Photo
Ships)
ADRIATIC
7th -
Italian cruiser "Amalfi" sunk by Austrian
submarine in the Adriatic.
|
|
MONDAY
12th JULY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
14th -
Sherif of Mecca opens direct negotiations
with British Government for co-operation
against the Turks (see October 31st, 1914,
and October 24th, 1915).
17th -
Treaty of alliance signed at Sofia between
Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, and
Turkey. Albania to be ceded to Bulgaria in
return for Bulgarian participation in war.
BRITAIN
15th -
National Registration Act becomes law in
Great Britain (see August 15th).
CANADA
14th - A
Dominion Premier (Sir R. Borden, Canada)
for the first time attends meeting of the
British Cabinet (see April 14th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Second
Battle of Krasnik continues
13th - Great
Austro-German Offensive on Eastern front
begins.
ITALIAN
FRONT
18th -
Second Battle of the Isonzo begins (see
August 10th).
|
PERSIA
12th -
British residency at Bushire (South
Persia) attacked by Tangistani tribesmen
(see August 8th) (link
to British despatch)
|
ADRIATIC
18th -
Italian cruiser "Giuseppe Garibaldi" (below
- Photo Ships) sunk by Austrian
submarine in the Adriatic.
17th -
Durazzo evacuated by the Serbian forces at
request of Italian Government (see 4th,
and August 31st).
|
|
MONDAY
19th JULY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
25th -
British Government guarantee to Greece
eventual cession of Mitylene by Turkey
(see March 20th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
19th - Second
Battle of Krasnik ends (see 1st).
21st -
Ivangorod (Poland) invested by
Austro-German forces (see August 5th).
24th - Rozan
and Pultusk (North Poland) stormed by
German forces.
ITALIAN
FRONT
Second
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT (plan - right)
25th -
Nasiriya taken by British forces (see June
27th).
(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
EAST AFRICA
22nd -
Bukoba, on Victoria Nyanza (German East
Africa), captured by British forces
(22nd/23rd).
|
Sketch Map of the
Euphrates, Nasiriyah to Chabaish
|
|
MONDAY
26th JULY
|
|
DIPLOMACY
29th -
Entente Governments warn Montenegro that
they will not recognise her occupation of
Albanian territory (see June 26th).
30th - The
Pope sends appeal for peace to belligerent
Governments (see November 5th, 1914, and
August 1st, 1917).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
ITALIAN
FRONT
Second
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
PERSIA
29th -
Establishment of the East Persia Cordon
(Anglo-Russian) begins (see October 7th).
|
ADRIATIC
26th -
Pelagosa Island, in Adriatic, occupied by
Italian forces.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 101 ships of
112,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
AUGUST
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
SUNDAY 1st
AUGUST
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
ITALIAN
FRONT
Second
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
Sea of Marmara (Corbett,
Vol 3, Map Case No.3)
|
GALLIPOLI
1st -
Constantinople harbour raided by British
submarine (in Sea of Marmara, plan -
left)
|
|
MONDAY 2nd
AUGUST
|
|
DIPLOMACY
6th -
Bulgarian Government negotiate fresh loan
for 400,000,000 francs with Austro-German
banks (see February 3rd).
6th -
Agreement concluded between Japan and
China substituting Japanese authority for
German in Tsingtau customs (see November
7th, 1914).
PORTUGAL
6th - Dr.
Machado Guimaraes elected Portuguese
President (see October 5th, 1915, and
December 11th, 1917).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
5th - Warsaw
occupied by German forces (see July 13th).
5th -
Ivangorod taken by Austro-German forces
(see July 21st).
ITALIAN
FRONT
Second
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
3rd - Van
(Armenia) evacuated by the Russian forces
(see 5th, and May 19th).
5th - Van
occupied by Turkish forces (see 3rd).
GALLIPOLI
6th - Battle
of Sari Bair begins (see 9th and 10th).
Operations
against Suvla: The Landings of the XIth
Division (Corbett, Vol 3, pp93)
|
BALTIC
8th - German
naval attack on Riga begins (see 21st).
GALLIPOLI
6th - Operations
of the landing at Suvla (Gallipoli)
begin (see 15th) (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties) (plan - left)
8th -
Turkish battleship "Barbarousse-Hairedine"
sunk by British submarine "E.-11"
in the Dardanelles.
PERSIAN GULF
(plan -below)
8th -
Bushire (South Persia) occupied by British
forces (see July 12th and September 9th) (link
to British despatch).
Sketch Map of Bushire
Island
|
|
MONDAY 9th
AUGUST
|
|
DIPLOMACY
15th -
Entente Governments make conditional offer
of territorial acquisitions to Serbia (see
30th, and May 7th).
BRITAIN
15th -
National Register taken in Great Britain
(see July 15th).
JAPAN
10th -
Viscount Kato, Japanese Minister for
Foreign Affairs, resigns (previously
appointed April 16th, 1911) (see 10th).
10th -
Marquis Okuma appointed Japanese Minister
for Foreign Affairs (ad interim) (see 9th,
and September 21st).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
AVIATION
10th -
German airship " L.-12 " extensively
damaged by British aircraft off Ostend.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
ITALIAN
FRONT
10th -
Second Battle of the Isonzo ends (see July
18th).
|
GALLIPOLI
9th -
Decisive day of Battle of Sari Bair (see
6th and 10th).
10th -
Battle of Sari Bair ends (see 6th and
9th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
H.M.T.
"Royal Edward" (Photo Ships)
|
U-BOAT
WARFARE
13th -
H.M.T. "Royal Edward" (left) sunk
by German submarine. (First transport so
lost.)
NAVAL
AVIATION
12th - First
ship sunk by torpedo from British seaplane
(Dardanelles).
GALLIPOLI (Locations
- below)
15th -
Operations of the landing at Suvla end
(see 6th and 21st).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
Gallipoli 1915
|
|
MONDAY
16th AUGUST
|
|
DIPLOMACY
21st - Italy
declares war on Turkey.
GREECE
22nd - M.
Venizelos again appointed Premier of
Greece in succession to M. Gounaris (see
March 6th and 9th and October 5th).
PERSIA
17th - Ain
ed Douleh, Persian Prime Minister, resigns
(see 18th, and April 27th).
18th -
Mustaufi ul Mamalek again appointed
Persian Prime Minister (see 17th. and
December 24th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Entrance to the Baltic
showing the track of E.8, August 1915 (Corbett,
Vol 4, pp92)
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
17th - Kowno
stormed by German forces (17th/18th).
20th -
Novo-Georgievsk (Poland) stormed by German
forces.
22nd -
Osovets (North Poland) stormed by German
forces.
The
Central Baltic (Corbett, Vol 4, pp94)
|
GALLIPOLI
21st -
Battle of Scimitar Hill (Suvla) (see
15th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
Gulf
of Riga
S.M.S.
"Moltke" (Maritime Quest)
|
U-BOAT
WARFARE
19th -
H.M.S. "Baralong" (special service ship or
Q-ship) destroys German submarine "U.-27"
in the Atlantic.
19th -
British S.S. "Arabic" sunk by German
submarine.
21st - First
authenticated case of German submarine
firing on a ship's crew in open boats
(British S.S. "Ruel").
BRITISH
COASTAL RAID
16th - Lowca
and Harrington, near Whitehaven
(Cumberland), shelled by German submarine.
BALTIC
(Plans - left and far left)
19th -
German battle cruiser "Moltke" (left)
torpedoed by British submarine "E.-l"
in Gulf of Riga.
19th -
British submarine "E.-13"
attacked by German warships while aground
in Danish waters.
21st -
German naval attack on Riga discontinued
(see 8th).
|
|
MONDAY
23rd AUGUST
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
25th -
Brest-Litovsk (Poland) taken by German
forces (25th/26th).
26th -
Byelostok (Poland) taken by German forces.
|
|
|
|
MONDAY
30th AUGUST
|
|
DIPLOMACY
30th -
British Foreign Minister (Sir E. Grey)
informs M. Supilo that, provided Serbia
agreed, the Allies could guarantee the
eventual freedom and self-determination of
Bosnia, Herzegovina, South Dalmatia,
Slavonia, and Croatia (see 15th, and May
7th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
BALKANS
31st -
Durazzo (Albania) reoccupied by Serbian
forces (see July 17th and December 6th).
|
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 122 ships of
196,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
SEPTEMBER
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
WEDNESDAY
1st SEPTEMBER
|
|
RUSSIA
5th - The
Tsar supersedes the Grand Duke Nicholas in
supreme command of the Russian Armies with
General Alexeiev as Chief of Staff (see
8th, August 3rd, 1914, and March 15th and
June 4th, 1917). (Though nominally Chief
of Staff, General Alexeiev was virtually
Commander-in-Chief and performed the
duties of that office till the Tsar's
abdication on March 15th, 1917, and
continued as Commander-in-Chief thereafter
without further appointment.)
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
3rd - Grodno
captured by German forces (2nd/3rd).
|
INDIA
5th - Action
of Hafiz Kor (North-West Frontier).
|
U-BOAT
WARFARE
1st - German
Government inform United States
Government that United States demands
for limitation of submarine activity are
accepted.
MEDITERRANEAN
1st - Ruad
Island, off Syrian coast, occupied by
French forces.
|
|
MONDAY 6th
SEPTEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
9th - United
States Government request recall of
Austro-Hungarian Ambassador, Dr. Dumba
(appointed to United States, March 1913)
(see 28th).
9th -
Turco-Bulgarian Frontier Convention signed
at Dimotika.
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
7th - Russian
counter-offensive in Galicia. Battle of
Tarnopol begins (see 16th).
9th - Battle
of Dvinsk begins (see November
1st).
9th - Battle
of Vilna begins (see October 2nd).
|
CAUCASUS
FRONT
8th - The
Grand Duke Nicholas appointed Viceroy of
the Caucasus (see 5th).
PERSIA
9th -
Bushire (South Persia) again attacked by
tribesmen (see August 8th). (link
to British despatch)
WEST AFRICA
8th - Second
Allied Attack on Mora (Cameroons)
(8th/9th). (link
to British despatche)
|
|
|
MONDAY
13th SEPTEMBER
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
16th - Pinsk
taken by German forces.
16th - Battle
of Tarnopol ends (see 7th).
18th - Vilna
taken by German forces (see 9th).
|
|
|
|
MONDAY
20th SEPTEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
21st -
Bulgarian Government order partial
mobilisation (see 22nd).
21st - Greek
Premier (M. Venizelos) asks for guarantee
of 150,000 British and French troops as
condition for Greek intervention (see
24th, and March 5th).
22nd - "Dede
Agatch Agreement" concluded between Turkey
and Bulgaria rectifying Turkish frontier
in favour of Bulgaria.
22nd -
Bulgarian Government order general
mobilisation for 25th.
23rd - Greek
Government order precautionary
mobilisation.
24th -
French and British Governments inform
Greek Government that they are prepared to
send troops requested (see 21st, 27th, and
28th).
25th -
Bulgarian mobilisation begins (see 22nd).
25th -
Serbian Government give undertaking to
Greek Government to cede Doiran and
Gevgeli eventually to Greece, and not to
claim Strumitsa.
BRITAIN
25th -
General Sir J. Wolfe Murray, Chief of the
Imperial General Staff, Great Britain,
resigns (see 26th, and October 26th,
1914).
26th - Lieut.-General
Sir A. J. Murray appointed Chief of the
Imperial General Staff, Great Britain (see
25th, and January 24th and December 22nd).
JAPAN
21st -
Viscount Ishii succeeds Marquis Okuma as
Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (see
August 10th, 1915, and October 9th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
25th - Allied
Autumn Offensive begins:
Battle of
Loos begins (see October 8th).
Third
Battle of Artois begins (see June
18th and October 15th).
Second
Battle of Champagne begins (see
March 17th and November 6th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
|
WEST AFRICA
22nd -
Second Advance on Yaunde (Cameroons)
begins (see January 1st, 1916).
|
|
|
MONDAY
27th SEPTEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
27th - Greek
Premier (M. Venizelos) obtains secret
consent of King Constantine to proposed
Entente expedition to Salonika (see 24th
and 28th).
28th - Dr.
Dumba, Austro-Hungarian Ambassador,
recalled from United States of America
(see 9th).
28th - Greek
Government formally refuse French and
British " offer " of the 24th (see 27th,
and October 2nd).
28th -
British and Russian Governments agree to
request of Persian Government for a
monthly subvention.
BRITAIN
30th - Lord
Derby assumes control of recruiting in
Great Britain (see December 11th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Battle of Loos,
Third Battle of Artois, Second Battle of
Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
Great
Austro-German Offensive continues.
Sketch
Map of the Tigris, Kut-al-Amarah to Sheikh
Saad
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT (Plans - left and below)
28th -
Battle of Kut, 1915 (link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
Lower
Mesopotamia (Corbett, Vol 3, Map Case No.1)
|
ADRIATIC
27th -
Italian battleship "Benedetto Brin" (below
- Photo Ships) destroyed by
internal explosion in harbour at Brindisi.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 72 ships of
151,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
OCTOBER
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
FRIDAY 1st
OCTOBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
2nd - Greek
Premier (M. Venizelos) asks British and
French Governments to land troops at
Salonika as soon as possible (see 3rd and
5th, and September 28th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Battle of Loos,
Third Battle of Artois, Second Battle of
Champagne continues.
AVIATION
1st -
Beginning of period in which the Germans
obtained mastery in the air on the Western
front (due to the Fokker machine)
(Approximate date.) (see
April 1st, 1916).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
2nd -
Battle of Vilna ends (see September
9th).
|
|
BALTIC
3rd - First
German merchant vessel (S.S. "Livonia")
sunk by British submarine in the Baltic.
GREECE
3rd - Allied
troops arrive at Salonika: Greek
Government protest against a landing (see
2nd, 5th and 6th). (link
to British despatch)
|
|
MONDAY 4th
OCTOBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
4th -
Entente Powers send ultimatum to Bulgaria
(see 5th and 13th).
5th - Russia
severs diplomatic relations with Bulgaria
(see 4th and 19th).
(GREECE)
5th - King
of Greece refuses to support policy of
Premier (M. Venizelos) (see 2nd, and
September 27th). M. Venizelos again
resigns (see 6th, and August 22nd, 1915,
and June 26th, 1917).
6th - M.
Zaimis appointed Greek Premier (see 5th,
and November 5th). King of Greece gives
assurance to British Minister that Greece
will maintain neutrality, but Greek
mobilisation (see September 23rd) and
Allied disembarkation at Salonika will
proceed (see 3rd, 5th and 8th).
8th - New
Greek Government (see 6th) announce policy
of armed neutrality.
10th - Greek
Government reject Serbian claim for help
under Serbo-Greek Treaty of 1912.
PORTUGAL
5th - Dr.
Machado Guimaraes succeeds Dr. J. Braga as
Portuguese President (see May 28th, and
August 6th, 1915, and December 11th,
1917).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Third Battle of
Artois, Second Battle of Champagne
continues.
8th - Battle
of Loos ends (see September 25th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
(now combining Serbian and Salonika
Fronts)
6th - Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia begins
(see December 15th, 1914).
7th -
Austro-German forces effect passage of the
Save and Danube (see 6th).
9th -
Belgrade taken by Austrian forces (see
December 15th, 1914, and November 1st,
1918).
11th -
Hostilities commence between Bulgarian and
Serbian forces (see 14th).
11th -
Semendria (Serbia) taken by Austrian
forces (see 6th).
|
PERSIA
7th -
Birjand occupied by British forces (see
July 29th).
INDIA
9th - Second
Affair of Hafiz Kor (North-West Frontier
of India).
|
GREECE
5th - French
and British forces land at Salonika (see
3rd). (link
to British despatch)
The
Balkans (Corbett, Vol 4, pp100)
|
|
MONDAY
11th OCTOBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
13th - Great
Britain severs diplomatic relations with
Bulgaria (see 4th and 15th).
14th -
Bulgaria and Serbia declare war on one
another (see 4th and 11th).
15th - Great
Britain declares "state of war" with
Bulgaria (see 13th).
15th -
Montenegro declares "state of war" with
Bulgaria.
15th -
Rumanian Government refuse to aid Serbia
(see January 25th).
16th -
France declares "state of war" with
Bulgaria (see 4th and 15th).
16th -
British Government offer Cyprus to Greece
if she will support Serbia (see 20th, and
January 24th).
BELGIUM
12th - Miss
Edith Cavell shot in Brussels by order of
a German court-martial.
FRANCE
13th - M.
Delcasse French Foreign Minister, resigns;
M. Viviani succeeds temporarily (see 29th
and 30th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Second Battle of
Champagne continues.
15th - Third
Battle of Artois ends (see
September 25th).
AVIATION
13th - Most
severe airship raid on East Coast of
England and London; casualties 200 (see
January 19th and May 31st, 1915, October
19th, 1917, and August 5th, 1918).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
13th -
Hostilities commence between French and
Bulgarian forces in Macedonia.
15th -
Vranje (Serbia) taken by Bulgarian forces
(see October 5th, 1918).
|
MEDITERRANEAN
15th -
General Sir Charles Monro appointed to
succeed Sir Ian Hamilton as
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean
Expeditionary Force (see 17th and 28th,
and March 17th).
17th -
General Sir William Birdwood takes over
temporary command of Mediterranean
Expeditionary Force from Sir Ian Hamilton
(see 15th and 28th).
|
AEGEAN
(plan - below)
16th -
Entente Governments proclaim blockade of
Aegean coast of Bulgaria.
Operations
in the Aegean (Corbett, Vol
3, Map Case No.5)
|
|
MONDAY
18th OCTOBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
19th -
Russia and Italy declare war on Bulgaria
(see 4th and 5th).
19th - Japan
declares adherence to the Pact of London
(see September 5th, 1914, and November
30th, 1915).
20th - Greek
Government reject British offer of Cyprus
(see 16th).
24th -
British Government in letter to Sherif of
Mecca define territorial limits of
proposed Arab State (see July 14th, 1915,
and June 5th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Second Battle of
Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
19th -
Ishtip (Serbia) taken by Bulgarian forces
(see September 25th, 1918).
21st - Veles
taken by Bulgarian forces (see September
25th, 1918).
22nd -
Kumanovo and Uskub (Skoplje) taken by
Bulgarian forces.
22nd -
Shabatz taken by Austrian forces.
24th - First
Action of Krivolak (Macedonia).
24th -
Negotin, on River Vardar, taken by
Bulgarian forces.
ITALIAN
FRONT
18th - Third
Battle of the Isonzo begins (see November
3rd).
|
|
BALTIC
23rd -
German cruiser "Prinz Adalbert" (below
- Photo Ships) sunk by British
submarine "E.-8"
in the Baltic.
AEGEAN
21st. - Dede
Agatch (Bulgaria) bombarded by Allied
squadron.
|
|
MONDAY
25th OCTOBER
|
|
BRITAIN
30th - Last
meeting of Dardanelles Committee of the
British Cabinet (see June 7th and November
3rd).
FRANCE
29th - M.
Viviani, French Premier and Foreign
Minister, resigns (date of appointment as
Premier June 14th, 1914) (see 13th and
30th).
29th - M.
Millerand, French Minister for War,
resigns (see 30th, and August 27th, 1914).
30th - M.
Briand succeeds M. Viviani as French
Premier and Foreign Minister (see 29th,
and March 17th, 1917).
30th -
General Gallieni appointed French Minister
for War (see 29th, and March 16th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
Allied
Autumn Offensive incl Second Battle of
Champagne continues.
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
28th - Lieut.-General
Sir Bryan Mahon appointed General Officer
Commanding British Forces, Balkans (see
May 9th, 1916).
30th -
Second Action of Krivolak (Macedonia).
ITALIAN
FRONT
Third
Battle of the Isonzo continues.
|
MEDITERRANEAN
28th -
General Sir Charles Monro assumes command
of Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (see
15th, 17th, and November 4th).
WEST AFRICA
30th - Third
Allied attack on Mora (Cameroons) begins
(see November 4th).
|
ROYAL NAVY
28th -
H.M.S. "Argyll" (below - Photo Ships)
wrecked on east coast of Scotland.
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 41 ships of
84,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
NOVEMBER
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
MONDAY 1st
NOVEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
2nd -
British Premier (Mr. Asquith) declares
Serbian independence to be an essential
object of the war.
BRITAIN
3rd - First
meeting of newly-constituted
War Committee of British Cabinet to
replace the Dardanelles Committee (see
October 30th, 1915, and December 1st,
1916).
SERBIA
3rd -
Serbian Government leave Nish (see 23rd,
and July 25th, 1914).
GREECE
5th - M.
Zaimis, Greek Prime Minister, resigns (see
6th. and October 6th).
6th - M.
Skouloudhis appointed Greek Premier (see
5th, and June 21st, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
6th - Second
Battle of Champagne ends (see
September 25th).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
1st - Battle
of Dvinsk ends (see September 9th).
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
1st -
Kragujevatz (North Serbia) taken by
Austro-German forces (30th/1st).
4th -
General Sir Charles Monro appointed to
command Salonika Force.
5th - Nish
taken by Bulgarian forces (see 3rd, and
October 11th, 1918).
5th - Battle
of Kachanik (Serbia) begins (see 8th).
ITALIAN
FRONT
3rd - Third
Battle of the Isonzo ends (see October
18th).
AVIATION
5th - German
airship "L.Z.-39" destroyed near Grodno.
|
MEDITERRANEAN
4th - Sir
William Birdwood to command Mediterranean
Expeditionary Force (see 25th, and October
15th, 17th, and 28th).
GALLIPOLI
4th - Lord
Kitchener leaves England for the
Dardanelles (see 10th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
PERSIA
2nd - Kasvin
(West Persia) occupied by a Russian force.
WEST AFRICA
4th - Third
Allied attack on Mora (Cameroons)
abandoned (see October 30th).
4th - Banyo
(Cameroons) attacked by General Cunliffe's
Allied force (see 6th).
6th - Banyo
captured by Allied force (see 4th).
S.M.S.
"Undine" (Photo Ships)
|
MERCHANT SHIPPING
3rd - Port
and Transit Executive Committee formed in
Great Britain (see 10th).
U-BOAT
WARFARE
6th - Sollum
(Western Egypt) attacked by German
submarine (see 14th). (Egyptian coastguard
cruiser "Abbas" sunk and "Nur el Bahr"
disabled.) (link
to part of British despatch)
7th -
Italian S.S. "Ancona" (below - Photo
Ships) sunk by Austrian submarine.
BALTIC
7th - German
cruiser "Undine" (left) sunk by
British submarine "E.-19."
|
|
MONDAY 8th
NOVEMBER
|
|
GREECE
8th -
Entente loan (£1,600,000) to Greece
concluded (see July 20th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
8th - Battle
of Kachanik ends (see 5th).
ITALIAN
FRONT
10th -
Fourth Battle of the Isonzo begins (see
December 10th).
|
GALLIPOLI
10th - Lord
Kitchener arrives at the Dardanelles (see
4th).
EGYPT/WESTERN
DESERT
14th -
Senussi commence hostilities against
British by attacking Egyptian post at
Sollum (see 6th and 23rd).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
10th -
Indian Corps begins to leave France for
Mesopotamia (see October 19th, 1914).
11th - First
British advance on Baghdad begins (see
22nd). (link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
10th - Ship
Licensing Committee formed in Great
Britain: Order in Council prohibits
voyages between foreign ports except under
licence (see February 15th, 1916).
10th -
Requisitioning (Carriage of Foodstuffs)
Committee formed in Great Britain: Order
in Council authorises requisition of ships
for carriage of foodstuffs (see November
3rd, 1917).
|
|
MONDAY
15th NOVEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
17th -
Anglo-French Conference held in Paris to
discuss aid to Serbia and Dardanelles
expeditions. Project approved in principle
to appoint Council of War to co-ordinate
Allied action (see December 29th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
16th -
Babuna Pass and Prilep (South Serbia)
taken by Bulgarian forces (see September
23rd, 1918).
20th - Novi
Bazar taken by Austrian forces (see
October 14th, 1918).
ITALIAN
FRONT
Fourth
Battle
of the Isonzo continues.
|
PERSIA
15th -
Representatives of Central Powers leave
Teheran (Persia) on approach of Russian
forces.
|
MINE WARFARE
17th -
British hospital ship "Anglia" sunk by
mine off Dover.
|
|
MONDAY
22nd NOVEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
23rd -
Entente Powers send Note to Greek
Government demanding non-interference with
Allied troops, and guaranteeing eventual
restoration of occupied Greek territory
(see 24th, and October 3rd).
24th - Greek
Government accept Entente demands of the
23rd.
25th - M.
Albert Thomas announces arrangements
completed for inter-Allied organisation of
munitions.
SERBIA
23rd -
Serbian Government leave Prizren for
Scutari (Shkodra) (see 3rd, and December
3rd).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
Final
Austro-German invasion of Serbia
continues.
23rd -
Mitrovitza and Pristina (Serbia) taken by
Austro-German forces (see October 10th,
1918).
ITALIAN
FRONT
Fourth
Battle
of the Isonzo continues.
23rd -
Rovereto (Trentino) taken by Italian
forces.
|
MEDITERRANEAN
25th -
General Sir Charles Monro appointed
Commander-in-Chief reconstituted
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force with Sir
William Birdwood General Officer
Commanding Dardanelles Army (see 4th, and
January 9th, 1916).
EGYPT/WESTERN
DESERT
23rd -
British military operations against the
Senussi commence (see December 13th, 1915,
and February 8th, 1917); Sollum post
evacuated (see 14th).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
22nd -
Battle of Ctesiphon begins (see 25th).
24th -
Field-Marshal von der Goltz (see December
10th, 1914, and April 19th, 1916) takes
command of Turkish forces in Mesopotamia.
25th -
British retreat from Ctesiphon to Kut al
Amara begins (see 22nd, and December 3rd).
(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
EAST AFRICA
22nd -
General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien appointed
Commander-in-Chief of British forces in
East Africa (see January 31st, 1916). (Did
not take over command owing to illness.)
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
23rd -
British Government conclude preliminary
agreement with the Netherlands Overseas
Trust for rationing of Holland (see June
3rd, 1915, and June 30th, 1916).
24th -
Danish merchants and manufacturers
conclude agreement with the British
Government to restrict supplies to
Germany.
|
|
MONDAY
29th NOVEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
30th -
Formal signature of the Pact of London by
Great Britain, France, Russia, Japan, and
Italy (see September 5th, 1914; April
26th, 1915; and October 19th, 1915).
PORTUGAL
29th - Dr.
A. Augusto da Costa succeeds Dr. J. de
Castro as Portuguese Premier (see June
19th, 1915, and March 15th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
30th - Serbian
retreat through Albania begins (see
January 15th, 1916).
ITALIAN
FRONT
Fourth
Battle
of the Isonzo continues.
|
|
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 63 ships of
152,000 tons gross (Lloyd's War Losses)
|
|
DECEMBER
1915
|
|
POLITICAL
|
WESTERN
EUROPE
|
EASTERN
& SOUTHERN EUROPE
|
ASIA
& AFRICA
|
NAVAL
& MARITIME
|
|
WEDNESDAY
1st DECEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
1st - Italy
announces her adherence to the Pact of
London (see November 30th).
4th - United
States Government request recall of German
attaches Captains Boy-Ed and Von Papen
(see 10th).
FRANCE
3rd -
General Joffre, Chief of French General
Staff from July 28th, 1911, appointed
Commander-in-Chief French Armies.
Appointment of Chief of General Staff
lapses (see April 29th, 1917).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
1st -
Prizren (Serbia) taken by Bulgarian forces
(see October 11th, 1918)
2nd -
Monastir (Serbia) taken by Bulgarian
forces (see November 19th, 1916).
2nd - French
retreat from Serbia to Salonika begins:
Krivolak evacuated.
3rd -
Serbian Government and military
headquarters set up at Scutari (Shkodra)
(see November 23rd, 1915, and January
15th, 1916).
5th - Action
of Demir Kapu (5th/6th) in French retreat
from Serbia.
ITALIAN
FRONT
Fourth
Battle
of the Isonzo continues.
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
3rd -
British forces, retreating from Ctesiphon,
reach Kut (see 7th, and November 25th).
5th - Kut
placed in state of defence (see 3rd and
7th) (link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
|
|
MONDAY 6th
DECEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
10th -
German Government recall from United
States attaches Von Papen and Boy-Ed (see
4th, and January 15th, 1916).
11th - Greek
Government refuse Entente demand for
withdrawal of Greek troops from Salonika
(see 9th).
FRANCE
9th -
General Castelnau appointed Chief of Staff
to General Joffre (see 3rd).
CHINA
11th -
Yuan-Shih-Kai accepts throne of China (see
March 22nd, 1916, and June 6th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
6th - Ipek
(Montenegro) taken by Austro-German forces
(see October 14th, 1918).
7th -
Actions of Kosturino (7th/8th). British
retreat from Macedonia begins.
8th - Debra
and Okhrida (Serbia) taken by Bulgarian
forces.
9th -
General Sarrail demands withdrawal of
Greek troops from Salonika (see 11th).
11th -
Doiran and Gevgeli (South Serbia) taken by
Bulgarian forces (see September 22nd,
1918).
ITALIAN
FRONT
10th -
Fourth Battle of the Isonzo ends (see
November 10th).
|
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
7th - Siege
of Kut begins (see 3rd, and January 4th
and April 29th, 1916). (link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
6th -
British Government put economic pressure
on Greece by making the "export
restrictions" apply to that country (see
13th).
7th -
Agreement concluded between French
Government and Netherlands Oversea Trust
(see November 23rd, 1914, and November
23rd, 1915).
ADRIATIC
6th -
Durazzo bombarded by Austrian squadron
(see 20th, and August 31st).
GALLIPOLI
8th -
Evacuation of Suvla and Anzac ordered (see
19th and 20th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
|
|
MONDAY
13th DECEMBER
|
|
|
WESTERN
FRONT
15th -
Field-Marshal Sir John French resigns as
Commander-in-Chief of British armies in
France (see 19th, and August 4th, 1914,
and May 5th, 1918).
19th -
General Sir Douglas Haig succeeds Sir John
French as Commander-in-Chief of the
British Armies in France (see 15th, and
January 1st, 1917).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
14th -
Bulgarian and Greek General Staffs
conclude agreement establishing temporary
neutral zone along Greek frontier.
15th - The
last Allied forces in Macedonia withdrawn
into Greek territory (see 7th, and
September 19th, 1916).
19th -
Bulgarian and Greek General Staffs
conclude agreement establishing temporary
neutral zone along Greek frontier.
|
EGYPT/WESTERN
DESERT
13th -
Affair of the Wadi Senab (11th/13th) (see
November 23rd, 1915, and February 26th,
1916).
PERSIA
14th -
Hamadan (Western Persia) occupied by
Russian forces (see August 10th, 1916).
15th -
Qasr-i-Shirin (Western Persia) occupied by
Turkish forces (see May 7th, 1916).
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
12th -
British Government order partial
relaxation of economic pressure on Greece
(see 6th).
BALTIC
17th -
German light cruiser "Bremen" sunk by
British submarine in the Baltic. (Confirmed
as mined)
GALLIPOLI
19th -
Evacuation of Suvla (plan -
below) and Anzac begun (see
8th and 20th).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
Suvla
Beach, at the date of evacuation (Corbett,
Vol 3, pp237)
|
|
MONDAY
20th DECEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
26th -
Treaty concluded between British
Government and Ibn Sa'ud, Emir of Nejd
(see July 18th, 1916).
BRITAIN
22nd - Lieut.-General
Sir A. J. Murray, Chief of the Imperial
General Staff, resigns (see 23rd, and
September 26th, 1915, and March 19th,
1916)
23rd -
General Sir W. Robertson appointed Chief
of the Imperial General Staff (see 22nd,
and February 18th, 1918).
PERSIA
24th -
Mustaufi ul Mamalek (Persian Prime
Minister) resigns (see 25th, and August
18th).
25th -
Prince Firman Firma appointed Prime
Minister of Persia (see 24th, and March
5th, 1916).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
22nd - Lieut.-General
Sir W. Robertson resigns as Chief of the
General Staff, British Expeditionary
Force, France (see 23rd, and January
25th), and is succeeded by Lieut.-General
L. E. Kiggell (see January 27th, 1918).
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
20th –
Durazzo (Albania) occupied by Italian
forces (see 6th, and February 27th, 1916).
Lake
Tanganyika Operations
(Corbett, Vol 4, pp82)
|
EGYPT/WESTERN
DESERT
25th -
Affair of the Wadi Majid (Western Egypt).
MESOPOTAMIAN
FRONT
25th -
Turkish Christmas Eve Attack on Kut
(24th/25th).(link to British
despatches, RN awards and casualties)
PERSIA
25th -
Kangavar (Western Persia) occupied by a
Russian force.
|
CONTRABAND
CONTROL
23rd -
"Trading with the Enemy (Extension of
Powers) Act, 1915" (beginning of " Black
List " policy), comes into force in Great
Britain (see January 26th and July 28th,
1916).
CRUISER
WARFARE
26th -
German raider "Möwe" sails
from Bremen on first cruise (see February
1st, 1916).
GALLIPOLI
20th - Evacuation
of Suvla and Anzac completed (see
8th, 19th and 28th). (link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
EAST AFRICA
23rd -
British naval operations on Lake
Tanganyika begin (see 26th). (plan
- far left)
26th - Naval
action on Lake Tanganyika: German gunboat
"Kingani" captured by H.M.S. "Mimi" and
"Toutou" (see 23rd, and February 9th,
1916).
(link to British
despatch)
|
|
MONDAY
27th DECEMBER
|
|
DIPLOMACY
29th - Draft
rules approved for Inter-Allied Council of
War (see November 17th).
|
WESTERN
FRONT
|
EASTERN
FRONT
BALKAN FRONT
30th -
Consuls of Central Powers at Salonika
arrested and deported by order of General
Sarrail, Commanding French troops.
|
H.M.S.
"Natal" (Photo Ships)
|
EMPIRE TROOP
MOVEMENTS
31st - Last
units of Indian Expeditionary Force "G"
leave the Dardanelles to amalgamate with
Indian Expeditionary Force "E" in Egypt
(see April 7th).
ROYAL NAVY
30th -
H.M.S. "Natal" (left) destroyed by
internal explosion in Cromarty harbour.
ADRIATIC
29th -
Durazzo raided by Austrian naval light
forces: latter brought to action in
Southern Adriatic.
GALLIPOLI
28th -
Evacuation of remainder of Gallipoli
Peninsula ordered (see 20th, and January
8th, 1916).
(link
to British despatches, RN awards and
casualties)
MERCHANT
SHIPPING
British, Allied and Neutral ships
lost to enemy submarines, mines and
cruisers etc in the month - 47 ships of
123,000 tons gross. Total for 1915 - 772
ships of 1,323,000 tons gross (Lloyd's
War Losses)
|
